(Neb.)-Chadron And Surrounding Community Rebound Together After Storm Listen

By: Roxie Graham-Marski Posted at: 10/24/2013 10:31 AM

(CHADRON)-Nearly three weeks after the autumn storm that dumped heavy, wet snow, downed power lines and trees, and killed livestock, communities impacted by the storm are finding ways to move forward. Chadron public works director Milo Rust says residents in the city of Chadron weathered the storm the best they could and immediately went to work putting the pieces back together after it passed.

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City manager Wayne Anderson says over 3,000 loads of debris have been recorded at the transfer station, and the city of Alliance even loaned two large dump loaders to Chadron to help with clean-up. Rust says a big factor in such a fast, efficient clean-up was the efforts of numerous volunteers.

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Although signs may indicate that storm damage has pretty much been cleaned up and dealt with already, Rust says most of the city parks are still closed.

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As far as whether or not the northern Panhandle can expect to receive any financial assistance from the state or the federal government, Rust says time will tell.

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A representative from NEMA (Nebraska Emergency Management Agency) came and toured the area the Tuesday after the storm and has filled out paperwork for FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) to see if funds will become available. If FEMA decides to provide assistance, they will foot 75 percent of clean-up costs, with the state and city splitting the remainder equally. If FEMA does not decide to provide funding, the state will provide a 50-50 match between themselves and the city.

Rust says the weather pattern that created the autumn blizzard has definite ties to the tornadic activity that occurred in the eastern part of Nebraska around the same time.

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Whatever the case, Rust says the city of Chadron and other communities in the area are resilient and will continue to move forward whatever the future holds.

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